Beebe's Blog

Disorder and violence seem predominant in the news today, and we can be tempted to fear what will happen next. I heard the following message online recently, and it encouraged me greatly. Below are some of the notes I took. May they bless you in these uncertain days.

How To Respond in Times of Fear and Disorder
by Johnnie Moore (speaking at Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California)

Our fear must be kept subservient to our faith.
Fear causes us to only see the problem, and it blinds us to an opportunity for God.
We fear so much because our faith is so little.
Christians aren’t people of fear. ...

What kind of relationship does Jesus want with believers? How does He describe Himself in John Chapter 14? What does He promise us, and what does He want us to do?

John Ch. 14The Relationship Built on Trust

.1-6 Believe in Me: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (v.6).
v.7-12 Believe Me: “I am in the Father, and the Father in Me” (v.10).
v.13-14 Believe Me: “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do” (v.13). ...

1 Peter Chapter 1 Because of the greatness of your salvation, live a holy life.

v.1-2 God’s plan of salvation for all believers includes sanctification by the Holy Spirit, obedience (to what is good), and cleansing by the blood of Jesus Christ.
v.3-5 The inheritance that God has given you because of your faith, can’t be taken away from you, and it won’t decay or fade away.
v.6-9 So let the joy of your salvation carry you through the trials of your faith. ...

v.1 Do the Biblical examples of the lives and choices of its faithful witnesses strengthen my endurance? Which ones are the most meaningful to me? Why?
v.1 Have I laid aside the encumbrances and sins that hinder me from running with endurance?
v.2 Do I go through life with my eyes fixed on Jesus and the example of His endurance?
v.3 Have I received such criticism or hostility from others that I have grown weary and discouraged?

Sometimes refusing to sin becomes very difficult, especially if the sin is a well-established pattern of attitude, thinking, speaking, or behavior. It feels like a kind of slavery. Romans Chapter 6 reminds us of our reality as Christians, and exhorts us to break free of the habits of sin and to replace them with the practices that are consistent with a heartfelt devotion to God. ...

Flitting and fluttering, the butterfly skims the surface of flowers, trees, and bushes. It flies so close that you think you could reach out and touch it; but when you try, it darts away again. Then all of a sudden, it lands. You expect it to fly away suddenly, but instead, it spreads its wings, as if posing for a camera—all of its beauty and wonder on full display.

We can flit and flutter through life like the butterfly—always in motion, always busy, always going somewhere or making the next stop in our hectic daily schedule. But we can “flutter away” more productively and joyfully if ...

”But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all” (1 Corinthians 12:7 NKJV).

You have probably heard of the spiritual gifts of teaching, leadership, encouragement, mercy, and so forth that are listed in Romans Ch. 12. First Corinthians 12:8-10 lists other ways that the Holy Spirit manifests His power through the children of God. Have you ever considered how these gifts benefit the church?

The Gifts:

v.8 the word of wisdom – applying knowledge to the situation at hand
v.8 the word of knowledge – declaring the right or true thing

Matthew Ch. 16 Don’t be clueless: Jesus won’t do all of your thinking for you.

v.1-4 Discern God’s presence with us, and adjust your life and faith accordingly.

v.5-12 Don’t let false doctrine—it’s like leaven—corrupt your understanding of truth.
Other Application: Remember that God sometimes uses figurative language to instruct us, and look for the spiritual significance of what He is saying. ...

Scripture is so rich, that 10 people might get 10 different sets of application for the same chapter, depending on what emphasis they saw in it. Which of the following do you like the best for this reassuring chapter in John?

John Ch. 10 Believe Me: I Am the Good Shepherd.

v.1-6 His privilege: The sheep follow only the Shepherd.
v.7-10 His position: I am the door for them to salvation and abundant life.
v.11-21 His plan: I will give My life for them.
v.22-30 His promise: I will give them eternal life.
v.31-39 His proof: Believe Me because of My works.
v.40-42 His purpose: “Many believed in Him there” (v.42). ...

v.1-4 Humble yourself as a little child before God, because humility is greatly valued in the kingdom of heaven.
v.5-10 Guard against causing others to sin, and guard yourself against sin.
v.11-14 Care about what Jesus cares about—seeking those who are going astray.
v.15-17 Seek reconciliation with a brother or sister who has wronged you, but distance yourself if he or she refuses to acknowledge the wrong. ...